Wheel rounding machine

ABSTRACT

A machine for rounding assembled wheels and for accurately forming and aligning a locating hole in the wheel spider with relation to the rim. The machine includes a plurality of radially movable rounding dies for engagement with the rim of the assembled wheel for rounding the rim. In addition, a forming tool in the form of a rotating cutter is provided for forming and aligning a locating opening in the wheel spider. The forming tool is supported by aligning means that are engageable with the inner periphery of the rim of the wheel when the rounding dies are in their rounding position for accurately aligning the forming tool with respect to the rounded rim. The aligning means comprises a floating backup ring to assist in the wheel rounding operation.

United States Patent [72] Inventor George E. Gollwitzer 2,949,088 8/1960 Johnson 29/159 Belleville, Mich. 2,586,029 2/1952 Greenshields 29/ 159 [21] ?g Primary Examiner-Richard J. Herbst ga 1971 Assistant Examiner-MichaelJ. Keenan 9 [73] Assignee Kelsey-Haye Company rney Harness, D ckey & Pierce WHEEL ROUNDING MACHINE [54] 7 Claims 2 Drawing Figs ABSTRACT: A machine for rounding assembled wheels and for accurately forming and aligning a locating hole in the m 72/402, wheel spider with relation to the rim. The machine includes a 29/159-129/159-3 plurality of radially movable rounding dies for engagement [51] Int. Cl. B21d 41/00 with the rim of the assembled wheel for rounding the fin-L In [50] Field of Search 72/401, addition, a forming too] in the form ofa rotating cutter is 1553;29/1594, 159-03, vided for forming and aligning a locating opening in the wheel 159 spider. The forming tool is supported by aligning means that are engageable with the inner periphery of the rim of the [561 References cued wheel when the rounding dies are in their rounding position UNITED STATES PATENTS for accurately aligning the forming tool with respect to the 2,659,407 11/1953 Kay 72/401 rounded rim. The aligning means comprises a floating backup 2,826,161 3/1958 Palmer 72/354 ring to assist in the wheel rounding operation.

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4/ If I I 4/ "w Patented May 25, I971- SHEET 2 BF 2 via l//lZ/// 1N VENTOR. 4

' WHEEL ROUNDING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a wheel rounding machine and more particularly to an improved machine for rounding assembled wheels and one which accurately forms and aligns a locating opening in the wheel center of the assembled wheel with respect to the rounded rim.

In the copending US. Pat. application of Horace D. Gregg, Ser. No. 673,424, filed May 10, 1967, entitled Wheel Rounding Machine" and assigned to the assignee of this invention, there is disclosed a machine for rounding assembled vehicular wheels. As is noted in that copending application, it is essential to insure perfect roundness of the wheel rim and accurate alignment of the rim with respect to the the associated spider and particularly with respect to the axis of rotation of the wheel. The machine disclosed in that application includes rounding dies that engage the rim of the wheel for rounding the rim and forming tools for accurately locating and forming openings in the wheel spider which openings determine the axis of rotation of the wheel.

Although the machine disclosed in the aforenoted copending application represents a considerable step forward in this art, the continuing demands of vehiclemanufacturers for accuracy has created a necessity for even further accuracy in the wheel making art. In the machine shown in that application, the rounding dies force the wheel rim against backup dies for the rounding operation. Certain of the backup dies are carried by the upper ram and misalignment between the upper ram and table on which the rounding dies are supported could cause an out of roundness condition.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide an improved wheel-rounding machine.

It is another object of this invention to provide a wheel rounding machine embodying a floating backup die for insuring true roundness.

True roundness of the wheel rim, although highly desirable, is ineffectual unless the axis of the rim coincides exactly with the axis of rotation of the wheel. As was noted in the aforementioned copending application, the axis of rotation of the wheel is defined eithei= by a central hub opening in the wheel center that coacts with an associated portion of the vehicle or by attachment bolt holes accurately located within the wheel center. Although the machine described in that application is intended to accurately form and locate these holes, the hole forming and locating apparatus is carried by an upper ram that g is supported for movement relative to the wheel rounding dies that coact with the rim. A buildup of tolerances in the respective components could, therefore, cause misalignment.

It is, therefore, a second object of this invention to provide a wheel rounding machine including a forming apparatus for accurately forming and aligning locating holes in the wheel center relative to the rounded rim.

It is another object of this invention to provide a wheel rounding machine wherein the forming tool for the locating opening is accurately guided. v

It is a further object of this invention to provide a wheel rounding machine wherein the forming tool is guided by the rounded wheel rim.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A machine embodying this invention is particularly adapted for rounding assembled wheels having a wheel center and a rim. Such a wheel rounding machine includes a plurality of rounding dies and means for supporting the rounding dies for movement with respect to an associated wheel. The rounding dies are movable by means of actuating means from a retracted position wherein an assembled wheel may be juxtaposed to the rounding dies to a wheel rounding position wherein the rounding dies are adapted to engage and perform a rounding operation upon the rim of the associated wheel. A floating backup die is juxtaposed to the inner surface of the rim and the rounding dies force the rim against this floating backup die.

As further feature of this invention, the rounding machine is adapted for insuring an accurately aligned relationship between the rim and at least one opening in the wheel center which opening serves to locate the assembled wheel with respect to an associated vehicle. To this end, forming tool means are provided for sizing and locating at least the one opening in the wheel center of the associated wheel. Aligning means support the forming tool means and are engageable with the rounded wheel rim for accurately locating the forming tool means relative to the rounded wheel rim.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an apparatus embodying this invention and particularly adapted for rounding and forming vehicular wheels.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the wheel rounding and forming machine, showing the machine in its rounding and forming position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. I, an apparatus is illustrated for performing a rounding operation and associated forming operation upon an assembled vehicular wheel, indicated generally by the reference numeral 11. The machine comprises a table 12 that is adapted to support the wheel 1 1 to be formed and an overlying rounding and forming machine 13. Assembled wheels are loaded onto and removed from the table 12 in any suitable manner.

The wheel rounding and forming machine 13 is positioned above the table 12 at a sufficient distance so that the wheels 11 may be presented to the table 12 without interference. When an assembled wheel 11 is placed upon the table 12, the wheel 11 is raised into a cavity, to be described, in the wheel rounding and forming machine 13 by means of hydraulic cylinders 16 and 17 or the like.

Referring now additionally to FIG. 2, the wheel rounding and forming machine 13 includes a base assembly that is mounted in any suitable manner in a fixed position above the table 12. The machine 13 is shown in its wheel rounding and forming position in FIG. 2 and the table 12 has been eliminated to more clearly show the construction. The base assembly of the machine 13 includes a fixed sleeve 18 around which a plurality of hydraulic cylinder assemblies 21 are provided. The hydraulic'cylinder assemblies 21 include piston rods 22 that are connected in any suitable manner, for example by way of threaded adapters 23, to an outer ring 24. The outer ring 24 is fixed by means of socket headed screws 25 to a plurality of circumferentially spaced wedge blocks 26. The wedge blocks define T-shaped grooves 27 in which a cooperating jaw retainer 28 is slidably supported. Each jaw retainer 28 is affixed to a respective jaw 29 as by socket headed screws 31. Wheel rounding dies 32 are affixed to each of the jaws 29 by socket heated screws 33. The jaws 29 are supported for substantially radial movement between an inner bushing 34 which is carried in any suitable manner by a fixed inner sleeve 35 of the machine 13 and a lower jaw liner 36. The lower jaw liner 36 is affixed in any suitable manner to a lower ring 37. The lower ring 37 is carried by the sleeve 18 by means of a plurality of socket headed bolts (not shown) that connect the ring 37 to spacers (not shown) that extend between adjacent of the jaws 29. These spacers are, in turn, affixed in any suitable manner to the sleeve 18.

An adjustable stop ring 28 is threaded onto an externally threaded portion 39 formed at the lower end of the ring 37. The stop ring 38 is adapted to be engaged by an outside bushing 41 that is fixed to the outer ring 24 by socket headed bolts 42 to limit the extreme downward movement of the outer ring 24. A flexible bellows 43 is fixed between the bushing 41 and stop ring 38 for precluding the ingress of dirt and other foreign materials to the respective sliding surfaces.

A driven spindle 45 extends through the center of the machine 13 and carries a cutting tool 46 at its lower end. The spindle 45 and associated cutting tool 46 are supported at one end by an antifriction bearing 47 that is carried within and fixed to an inner sleeve 48. The inner sleeve 48 is mounted for reciprocatory movement along with the spindle 45 and cutting tool 46 and is loosely guided within a fixed sleeve 49 by means of a bushing 51.

OPERATION In operation, a wheel 11 comprised of a rim portion 55 and a spider portion 56 (FIG. 2) that is affixed to the rim portion 55 in any known manner is placed upon table 12. Preferably, the rim portion 55 is slightly oversize when the wheel 11 is made. That is, the diameter of the tire beads of the rim 15 is slightly larger than the desired finished diameter.

When a wheel 11 is present on the table 12, the table 12 is elevated by actuation of the cylinders 16 and 17. At this time, the rounding dies 32 will be in their retracted position, a position opposite to that shown in FIG. 2. At this time, the outer ring 24 will be retracted from the position shown in FIG. 2 and the jaw retainers 28 will be at the lower end of the T-grooves 27. When the wheel 11 is presented between the open wheel rounding dies 32, the cylinder assemblies 21 are actuated driving the piston rods 22 downwardly. This downward movement is transmitted to the outer sleeve 24 and wedges 26. Since the jaw retainers 28 and jaws 29 are held against any axial movement, these elements are cammed in a radially inward direction. The rounding dies 32 are formed with surfaces 57 that engage the outer portion of the rim 55 as the dies 32 move inwardly. The surfaces 57 are accurately formed and are designed so as to reduce the diameter of the rim 55 sufficiently so that, allowing for springback, the rim 55 will be perfectly rounded both axially and radially. The rounding dies 32 in their closed or wheel rounding positions do not contact the complete circumference of the rim 55. That is, there is a gap between adjacent of the dies 32 when these dies are in their closed position. Due to this fact and because of tolerances in the machine, there is a possibility that the rim 55 will not be completely trued. Therefore, an aligning, floating backup die 58 having a surface 59 complementary to the inner periphery of the rim 55 is disposed radially inwardly of the rim and is adapted to be engaged by the deformed rim. The floating backup die 58 is affixed to a plurality of depending spacer members 61 by socket headed bolts 62. The spacer members 61 are in turn, affixed to a ring 63 which is affixed to the lower end of the sleeve 49. The backup die 58 is, therefore, supported in a cantilevered fashion and may deflect so that is surface 57 follows and defines a true surface for the rim 55.

When the wheel 11 is held in its rounded position, the cutting tool 46 is presented to a hub opening 64 formed centrally in the spider 56. This movement is effected by reciprocation of the sleeve 48 and spindle 45. The cutting tool 46 is I then presented to the hub opening 64, which heretofore was undersize, to perform a final machining operation upon this opening. in order to insure complete concentricity between the rim 55 and hub opening 64, the spindle 45 and cutting tool 46 are guided by means of an antifriction bushing 65 that is held in a cylindrical opening 66 in the floating backup die 58. The bushing 65 is formed with a cylindrical surface 67 that is engaged by a cylindrical outer surface 68 of a depending pilot member 69. The pilot member 69 is affixed to a ring 71 by means of socket headed bolts 72. The ring 71 is, in turn, affixed to the movable sleeve 48 by means of socket headed bolts 73.

The pilot member 69 is always contained within the guide bushing 65. That is, when the cutting tool 46 and spindle 45 are retracted from the position shown in H6. 2, the pilot member surface 68 is engaged with the upper end of the bushing surface 67. Prior to the downward movement of the spindle 45 and cutting tool 46, the rounding dies 32 will have brought the wheel rim 55 into engagement with the floating backup die 58. The backup die may then have been shifted to a position in confonnity with the trued shape of the rim 55. During this shifting, the spindle 45 and cutting tool 46 is also be relocated so that the finished opening 64 will be truly concentric with the rim 55. I

If further guiding of the cutting tool 46 is desired and if further backup for the rim 55 is desired, a second backup die 75 may be employed. The backup die 75 may be placed upon the table 12 prior to positioning of the wheel 11. The backup die 75 also has a surface 76 that is complementary to the adjacent portion of the finished rim 55 and against which surface the rim 55 is deflected by the rounding dies 32. The second floating backup die 75 may be formed with a cylindrical opening 77 that is countersunk at its upper end, as at 78, and into which an elongated pilot portion 79 of the cutting tool 46 extends as the tool 46 moves downwardly. With such a construction, it should be readily apparent that further insurance of complete coaxiality between the opening 64 and rim 55 is insured. The second backup die 75 may, however, not be required in all circumstances.

After the hub opening 64 has been machined, the cutting tool 46 is retracted and subsequently the rounding dies 32 are retracted by withdrawal of the outer sleeve 24. The table 12 is then dropped by suitable operation of the cylinders 16 and 17 and the rounded wheel is removed.

it should be noted that the rounded wheels will be true both axially and radially with respect to the locating opening in the spider, which opening is machined when the rounding dies are in their closed position. The cutting tool, which is described and illustrated as being a rotating type cutter but which, of course, could be of other types, is accurately guided by the inner periphery of the rounded rim. It should be understood that, although the invention has been described in connection with a wheel that has its axis of rotation defined by a central hub opening, the invention may be used in conjunction with wheels that have their axis of rotation determined in other manners. For example, a gang drill arrangement might be guided in a similar manner for drilling the bolt receiving openings in the spider. In addition, although the machine has been described in connection with a wheel having a spider, it can be used with wheels having other types of wheel centers such as disc or spoked wheels. Other modifications within the scope of the invention will present themselves to those skilled in the art.

lclaim:

1. A machine for rounding wheels having a wheel center and a rim, said machine comprising a plurality of rounding dies, means for supporting said rounding dies for movement in a substantially radial direction with respect to an associated wheel, actuating means for moving said rounding dies radially inwardly from a retracted position wherein as assembled wheel may be juxtaposed to said rounding dies to a wheel rounding position wherein said rounding dies are adapted to engage and perform a rounding operation upon the outer periphery of the rim of the associated wheel, at least one floating backup die positionable on the inner periphery of the rim of the associated wheel, and means for supporting said die for movement in a radial direction relative to the wheel to conform to the position of the rim when said rounding dies are in their wheel-rounding positions.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein the rounding dies each have surfaces defining a segment of the shape of a portion of the finished rim, said segments totaling less than 360 whereby gaps exist between said rounding dies when said rounding dies are in their wheel-rounding position.

3. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein a pair of floating backup dies are provided, each of said floating backup dies being engageable with the rim of the associated wheel on an opposite side of the wheel center.

4. A machine for rounding assembled wheels having a wheel center and a rim and for insuring an accurately aligned relationship between the rim and at least one opening in the wheel center which opening serves to locate the assembled wheel with respect to an associated vehicle, said machine comprising a plurality of rounding dies, means for supporting said rounding dies for movement with respect to an associated wheel, actuating means for moving said rounding dies from a retracted position wherein an assembled wheel may be juxtaposed to said rounding dies to a wheel rounding position wherein said rounding dies are adapted to engage and perform a rounding operation upon the rim of an associated wheel, forming tool means for sizing and locating at least the one opening in the wheel center of the associated wheel, and aligning means for supporting said forming tool means, said aligning means being engageable with the rim of the associated wheel for accurately aligning forming tool means and the formed opening relative to the rounded wheel rim.

5. A machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein the aligning means includes backup die supported for radial movement and engageable with the circumference of the inner side of the rounded wheel.

6. A machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein the backup die is supported at the outer end of a cantilevered stationary sleeve, said forming tool means being supported for reciprocation relative to said sleeve.

7. A machine as set forth in claim 6 wherein the backup die defines a cylindrical bore and the forming tool means carries a pilot member slidably engaged with said bore.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 580, 043 Dated May 25, 1971 lnv t r( George E. Gollwitzer It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 1, (Application page 4, line 13) after'hg "insert a column 4, line 3, (application page 10, line 3) after "46" "is" should be will column 4, line 47 (Claim 1, line 1) after "rounding" insert assembled column 4, line 52 (Claim 1, line 6) "as" should be an column 5, line 13 (Claim 4, line 17) after "aligning" insert said column 6, line 3 (Claim 5, line 2) after "includes" insert a Signed and sealed this 26th day of October 1 971 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M FLETCHER JR ROBERT GO TTSCHALK Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents 

1. A machine for rounding wheels havinG a wheel center and a rim, said machine comprising a plurality of rounding dies, means for supporting said rounding dies for movement in a substantially radial direction with respect to an associated wheel, actuating means for moving said rounding dies radially inwardly from a retracted position wherein as assembled wheel may be juxtaposed to said rounding dies to a wheel rounding position wherein said rounding dies are adapted to engage and perform a rounding operation upon the outer periphery of the rim of the associated wheel, at least one floating backup die positionable on the inner periphery of the rim of the associated wheel, and means for supporting said die for movement in a radial direction relative to the wheel to conform to the position of the rim when said rounding dies are in their wheel-rounding positions.
 2. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein the rounding dies each have surfaces defining a segment of the shape of a portion of the finished rim, said segments totaling less than 360* whereby gaps exist between said rounding dies when said rounding dies are in their wheel-rounding position.
 3. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein a pair of floating backup dies are provided, each of said floating backup dies being engageable with the rim of the associated wheel on an opposite side of the wheel center.
 4. A machine for rounding assembled wheels having a wheel center and a rim and for insuring an accurately aligned relationship between the rim and at least one opening in the wheel center which opening serves to locate the assembled wheel with respect to an associated vehicle, said machine comprising a plurality of rounding dies, means for supporting said rounding dies for movement with respect to an associated wheel, actuating means for moving said rounding dies from a retracted position wherein an assembled wheel may be juxtaposed to said rounding dies to a wheel rounding position wherein said rounding dies are adapted to engage and perform a rounding operation upon the rim of an associated wheel, forming tool means for sizing and locating at least the one opening in the wheel center of the associated wheel, and aligning means for supporting said forming tool means, said aligning means being engageable with the rim of the associated wheel for accurately aligning forming tool means and the formed opening relative to the rounded wheel rim.
 5. A machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein the aligning means includes backup die supported for radial movement and engageable with the circumference of the inner side of the rounded wheel.
 6. A machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein the backup die is supported at the outer end of a cantilevered stationary sleeve, said forming tool means being supported for reciprocation relative to said sleeve.
 7. A machine as set forth in claim 6 wherein the backup die defines a cylindrical bore and the forming tool means carries a pilot member slidably engaged with said bore. 